The other side of Kasganj: Hindus extinguish fire of Muslims’ shop

February 6, 2018, 1:45 PM IST

The fact-finding team returned after visiting the riot-affected Kasganj of Uttar Pradesh has revealed that when a handful of communal elements were setting the shops of Muslims on fire, the Hindu brothers present there were extinguishing the fire, while the police were either absent or if present were with the communalists.

A delegation comprising of former IG of police UP, S R Darapur, noted journalists Amit Sen Gupta, well-known advocate Mohammed Asad Hayat, Rakhi Sehgal, former president JNU students’ union Mohit Kumar Pande, journalist Aleemullah Khan, Hasanul Banna, Qazi Tauseef Husain, Khaled Saifi, Shariq Husain, Nadeem Khan and others after visiting riot-affected Kasganj said that not a single shop belonging to the Hindus was burned which shows that the Muslims were targeted in a planned manner. Despite that FIR was not registered while the cases were booked against the victims under various sections.

The fact-finding team told that 127 people were arrested of them 87 are Muslims. Surprisingly it has not been found out who killed Chandan Gupta. Police allege that Saleem another businessman shot Chandan from his roof, but Chandan Gupta has bullet mark at his side and it seems that the bullet was fired from near. Saleem has been arrested without any evidence or witness.

It was found that Sankalp Foundation and ABVP people had arrived on bikes. 70 ran away leaving their bikes of which according to police 35 have been seized. When the fact-finding team asked the police whether the bike owners have been interrogated. The reply was ‘ask this question to the top officials’. The team members told that they saw that the houses of Muslims were open, there was no one to lock the doors. So we locked them.

They observed that it was evident that Hindus took out rally keeping pistols with them, but they were not arrested. Muslims shops were looted, their masajid were burned, and they themselves were arrested. Journalist Armilesh said with a planning Muslims are shown oppressive while Hindus are presented as oppressed. He said one-sided action is being taken.